Of laughter, peace, and flavour both might claim. All limits are set by the drink itself and the resultant effect. True aficionados of both beverages swear their loyalties to whichever has cast a lasting spell on their taste buds and senses. Each beverage has a special standing in society. The ‘Chai pe charcha’ has elevated the humble drink to an intellectual level. The cup that cheers but not inebriates is the axiom for tea, yet coffee often mesmerises people with its aromatic fragrance and they then swear on the alertness on their finer senses.
My bond with coffee did not happen overnight. It was more like being drawn into the artistry of brewing rather than developing a taste for it.
Every morning, our eldest son followed a ritualistic routine of making a cup of coffee. I was enthralled with the whole process and its variants. I quickly learned about the many brewing methods used to make this beverage. The way the beans were ground made the difference. I won’t get into the details of them because there are a ton of specifications on the Internet. The process used to make the divine brew was also important once the grind was determined. I’m now adept at using the French Press, a rather no-nonsense apparatus. It needs no dexterity or force. The other common method used in our house is the AeroPress. This requires the fitting of the plunger, chamber, microfilter, and cap in the correct sequence. Although this adaption is touted as eco-friendly and simple, I am never at ease with it. Yet another seemingly easy method is the Hario V60 brew method. This did not exactly fit into my scheme of things as the process stretched a bit and the bliss in the brew lacked the right temperature. So much for the brewing.
